His Ex Wife Is A Billionaire

Frederic stormed into the room, his face as dark as a thundercloud, his presence more intimidating than a Halloween ghoul.

“On such a sunny day, why do you have to look like you’re attending a funeral?” Hamilton chided, glancing away from his son’s gloomy expression with a tsk–tsk of disapproval. “Seeing you puts such a damper on my day, I swear it’s shaving years off my life!”

Frederic ignored the verbal sparring with his dad and made a beeline for Marilla, completely disregarding the Ashbournes, who were over for a visit.

“Marilla! You’re coming home with me right now!”

Marilla recoiled, her face pale as milk, clutching her teddy bear like a shield.

Just as Frederic’s hand was about to clamp onto her, another hand–veined and strong–caught his wrist in an iron grip.

Marilla’s eyes widened in shock, staring at the tall figure stepping protectively in front of her. “Aaron.”

Aaron met Frederic’s fiery gaze with a cold flicker in his eyes. “Mr. Frederic, let’s keep this civil. You’re scaring Marilla.”

Frederic, panting with anger and frustration, couldn’t immediately free his wrist from Aaron’s hold and bit back his rage with a snarl, ‘Let go!”

With a calm gaze, Aaron released him.

Frederic quickly stepped back, rubbing his wrist, which had turned an angry shade of purple.

“Mr. Hamilton, Mom, it’s about time. I promised Marilla we’d go out and have some fun,” Aaron said, trying to diffuse the tension as he turned to Hamilton.

“I just said Marilla has to come with me. She’s not going anywhere!” Frederic roared back, unable to contain his fury.

Hamilton bristled. “Marilla already made plans with Aaron. And here you are, making a scene in front of our guests! The Ashbournes have come with gifts, and you’re causing a ruckus!”

“You don’t understand the situation. If you did, you wouldn’t be taking this tone with me!”

Frederic waved his hand dismissively, a clear sign of his impatience. “Bottom line, my daughter is not to associate with the Ashbourne boy. I’ll explain later when it’s convenient!”

“Hold on a second.”

Suri’s voice cut through the tension like a knife, her cool gaze landing on Frederic. “You can’t leave us hanging, Mr. Frederic. If you’ve got something to say, out with it. Let’s hear why my son can’t associate with your daughter.”

Her authoritative presence was unmistakable–the matriarch of the Ashbourne family, not to be trifled with. Hamilton watched, a pang of envy for Emeric. If only his own son could have a partner as formidable and accomplished as Surl, maybe his temper wouldn’t be so difficult.

Frederic’s smile was a sneer of contempt. “Suri, do you swear that you and your son approaching Marilla have nothing to do with Evadne’s bidding?”

Suri’s brows knit together.

“You pressured Mr. Bartley with election funding, to call off the engagement with the Bartleys for your own gain Your antics at the Bartley’s event, embarrassing them in public, wasn’t that to ensure Marilla

wouldn’t marry into their family?”

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The room fell silent, the accusation hanging heavy in the air.

Marilla couldn’t bear to look at her father or Aaron. She closed her eyes, her lashes quivering as she hugged her teddy bear even tighter.

“I’ve always found it strange how suddenly you’ve taken an interest in my daughter’s affairs, Suri. Especially at the crucial moment of her engagement to the Bartleys. Unless someone prompted you, who would believe it?”

Frederic’s voice was laced with decades of business acumen, a cynical laugh escaping him. “Marilla and Jareth breaking up was unfortunate, but it was their fate. For Evadne to interfere like this is crossing the line! Let me be clear, even without the Bartleys, I would never approve of Marilla getting back with Jareth. And you, with your ulterior motives, I certainly won’t allow any contact between my daughter and your son. Who knows what you’re really plotting?”

Aaron clenched his fists, the room’s tension palpable, but he restrained himself for the sake of family honor.

Hamilton was about to intervene when Suri, with a grace that belied her fierce words, said what was on her mind.

‘I’m absolutely disgusted.”

Frederic’s eyes flashed. “What did you say?”

“Mr. Frederic, I must admit, you’re a lucky man indeed, Suri said, taking a measured sip of her tea. “Otherwise, with that kind of thinking, I doubt you’d have made it this far in business.”

Frederic’s face reddened with rage, but he held back. He was a man of stature, and a public spat was beneath

him.

“In the Ashbourne household, we pride ourselves on being progressive. As parents, we don’t–meddle too much in our children’s love lives. Frankly, I wasn’t too familiar with Marilla at first, but my son took a shine to her, and any mother worth her salt would give her boy a leg up in romance, am I right? Besides, the match you had set up for Marilla, what kind of folks were they? The Bartley clan buckled under the slightest pressure and called off the engagement in the dead of night. That tells you they’re nothing but social climbers, chasing after status and fortune. Do you really think mingling with such riff– raff wouldn’t tarnish the reputation of the Abernathy Group, the wealthiest in all of Elmsworth?”

Those words struck a chord with Hamilton, and he nodded vigorously in agreement.

“If that’s the case, I only followed Evadne’s counsel in this matter. Now that I know both families have called off the engagement, I can just as well stop bothering you all.”

Suri spoke with calm composure, “The reason for my visit is simple–I’m quite fond of Marilla myself. The urgency I feel to see her matches Aaron’s own.”

“Mom.” Warmth flooded Aaron’s chest, coloring his ears a rosy hue.

Marilla slowly opened her eyes, her luminous gaze filled with gratitude towards Suri.

“Frederic, you’ve gone too far with your words. Apologize to Suri now!” Hamilton glared at his son, clearly displeased by his antics.

Frederic pressed his lips together, his gums aching with frustration, but he refused to open his mouth.

The very idea of apologizing to the Ashbournes felt like the ultimate disgrace!

“Let it be, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Frederic is just overly protective of his daughter, which can muddle his thoughts. As a mother myself, I can understand.”

Suri gently set down her teacup, “However, Mr. Frederic, you’re not getting any younger. If there’s nothing pressing at the company, perhaps you should follow Emeric’s lead and spend more time taking care of your health Constantly throwing obstacles in your children’s path to love–what’s the point?”

With every gentle word from Suri, Frederic felt as if she was twisting a knife in his weakest spots!

Aaron stepped forward, his gaze intense and deep like the ocean, “Mr. Frederic, you can doubt anything you like. But there’s one thing you shouldn’t question. I swear on my badge, on my honor, my feelings for Marilla are as true as gold. Even if you dislike me, I still have to tell you, my intentions with Marilla are serious.”

The room fell silent.

Suri had never seen her son like this, and for a moment, she felt so moved she almost wanted to cry.

“If you’re still not convinced, think of it this way–now there’s one more person in this world willing to protect your daughter with his life. One more defender is no loss to you.” Aaron smiled serenely, his bright eyes carrying a tremor of heartfelt strength.

Frederic’s face softened, he had run out of objections.

“Marilla, let’s go.”

This time, Aaron didn’t leave Marilla with a choice. He confidently took her hand and strode forward.

His steps were wide, and Marilla, in her delicate grace, hustled to keep pace with him.

Lately, every encounter with her father had left her feeling suffocated, oppressed.

Even if Aaron hadn’t spoken up, she would have taken him and left without a second thought.

The pair disappeared from the front door in the blink of an eye.

Hamilton sighed deeply, his words carrying a weighty significance, “Suri, you’ve raised your son well. Compared to you, I’m shamed as a father.”

“Dad! What are you saying?” Frederic was livid, feeling like both Suri and Hamilton were mocking him in their own ways.

After Suri had left, Frederic endured another round of rebuke from his father.

“I know you still dislike llana and harbor prejudice against her! But I’m convinced of one thing– everything llanat does, she does for the good of this family, for the people she cares about!”

Hamilton pointed sharply at him, “If you slander llana again, you’re no longer welcome in Havenbrook!”

Frederic opened his mouth to retort, but then he saw Thaddeus and Evadne, hand in hand, enter the room. They must have heard everything.

Evadne, ever magnanimous, was unfazed by such scenes, but Thaddeus‘ cool gaze fixed on Frederic with unspoken fury.

Biting back his anger, Frederic realized staying would only make things worse, so he left with a huff, taking Dennis with him.

“Grandpa, what happened?”

Thaddeus quickly approached the old man, his eyes dark with concern, “What’s he grinding his teeth about

now?”

“A trifle, it’s gone now that I’ve scolded him away.” Hamilton played it down.

Evadne’s eyes sparkled with laughter, clearly not bothered by these squabbles.

“Ilana, Suri and Aaron just left. He took Marilla out.”

Mentioning Aaron, Hamilton couldn’t help but praise, “Aaron is a fine young man! I like him a lot! I’d love to call him my grandson, give Thaddeus a good brother!”

“Grandpa, there’s no need for formalities, Aaron and Thaddeus already get on well, Evadne sald brightly, understanding instantly where Frederic’s grievances stemmed from.

“Grandpa, Mr. Ashbourne is my elder, if you were to make him your grandson, given I’m older, he’d end up being

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my younger brother.”

Thaddeus smirked subtly, “That wouldn’t be quite right.”

“You, my boy, have become quite the charmer since you got together with llana.”

Hamilton chuckled teasingly, then sighed again, “Watching those two young ones, it reminds me of your grandmother, and all the memories of our youth.”

“Grandpa, are you happy about Aaron and Marilla being together?” Evadne ventured to ask.

“Aaron is truly devoted to Marilla, I can see it plain as day.”

Hamilton’s gaze turned distant, “But, I always feel like when Marilla is with Aaron, there’s something missing in her eyes. llana, we can’t put a price on happiness, and Marilla is all grown up now. Who she fancies, who she pines for–that’s her choice to make.”

It was the weekend, and naturally, the amusement park was swarming with visitors.

On the drive over, Marilla had been fiddling with a teddy bear keychain to ease the awkwardness. Aaron steered the car, occasionally glancing at her with a protective eye, attuned to her every mood shift.

It wasn’t until they passed through the gates that Marilla finally spoke up, breaking the silence,

“Aaron, thanks for this. And to your mom, too. I really appreciate it.”

Aaron hated it most when she thanked him; it made him feel awkward. Scratching his head, he pointed towards a nearby shop.

“Want to check it out? Seems like everyone’s rocking some funky headgear. Let’s grab a couple for ourselves.”

Marilla nodded slightly, and they walked into the shop side by side.

When they emerged, Marilla sported a brown teddy bear hair clip, its tiny ears perked up–adorable and cheeky. As for Captain Ashbourne, he’d donned a crocodile headband that, from a distance, looked as if a crocodile was biting his head.

“Uh, Aaron, you’re hilarious!” Marilla giggled, covering her mouth as a rare, unstoppable laughter took hold.

“If it makes you happy, Aaron replied, his smile slowly stiffening.

Girls passed by, sneakily taking photos with their phones. It wasn’t every day they got to see a guy who was both eye candy and comically charming.

But Aaron was suffering his own social demise, silently praying he wouldn’t bump into any colleagues.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, sweeping the crowd.

His instincts as a seasoned detective told him they were being watched. Someone was lurking in the shadows, eyeing them with intent.